38 W. H. WARREN. 
saving of water when the flow re-commences after a dry 
spell, experience shewing that less water is required for 
filling up dams than is lost by absorption in most dry 
channels. Hven with the assistance of these storages, it 
will be only in good seasons that irrigation can be carried 
on to any extent along the river banks by means of 
pumping. A storage has been provided at Lake Cudgellico, 
which will in average seasons act as a balance reservoir 
and equalise the flow in the Lachlan, Willandra, and 
Middle Billabong channels below that point; but if a 
further equalisation is demanded between good and bad 
seasons, it will be necessary to construct a large storage 
on the upper river above Cowra, surveys of which have 
been completed, and all details are available. This will 
be a matter for the future, if demand arises and interest 
is forthcoming, on the expenditure. 
The works now recommended are a continuous series of 
weirs in the river channel and the improvement of the 
cuttings at the head of the Middle Billabong and Wil- 
landra Creeks. It has been contended by the landholders 
and residents on the Lower Lachlan that the diversions 
down the Willandra and Middle Billabong Creeks are 
detrimental to their interests, but the construction of the 
storages proposed should remove these objections and at 
the same time provide a larger supply down those creeks. 
These objections have in the past been raised on account 
of a certain amount of natural irrigation of pasturage by 
flooding on the lower river being lost owing to these 
diversions ; but in regard to this, two things should be 
borne in mind—first, that such flooding has on most 
occasions been caused by the diversion of water from the 
main channel by artificial means, and that when the 
flooding takes place naturally there is ample water for all 
purposes ; and second, the greatest good must accrue to 
